The Power of Friendship Knows No Bounds

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Friendship Circle reaches 2020 Fundraising Goals

Plans for New State-of-the-art Campus on Track

Let’s face it. 2020 was a year that caused considerable anguish for most people. For the not for profit community, the pandemic imposed unimaginable challenges. This was certainly true for one of Miami’s beloved organizations, Friendship Circle.

Despite the fury of the coronavirus, Friendship Circle recently announced that they were able to reach their 2020 fundraising goal raising more than $1.8 million for their new campus. “Despite the pandemic, we were able to move forward with fundraising and not miss a beat. Today, looking back on the past year,  Friendship Circle met the challenges of COVID-19, learned how to adapt and even thrive,” says Russell Eckert, Chief Development Officer, Friendship Circle.

When the coronavirus arrived in Florida, Friendship Circle was impacted at every level. Like most not-for-profits, they worried about the future.

“We were concerned that we were not going to be able to raise funds in this environment,” states board member, Tracey Berkowitz.  “The pandemic was going to prevent us from moving forward. As a board and an organization, we were all concerned and needed to pivot,” she added.

Under the leadership of a dedicated Board of Directors and directors Rabbi Harlig and Nechama Harlig the pandemic was not going to get in the way or even stop the organization. “COVID-19 only made us stronger,” said Rabbi Harlig, the organization’s Executive Director.

This was particularly evident in May 2020. One of the greatest accomplishments was the annual Walking 4 Friendship 3K, which was transformed into an interactive virtual event. The historic walk had 1000 pre-registered participants and expanded beyond Florida’s borders and included participants from Texas, New York, Massachusetts, Georgia and Michigan.

“We just decided that there was no way we were going to drop the ball for the walkathon. The public shared our passion. People were very enthusiastic to participate and be a part of something historic. It was even more successful than we had imagined,” Berkowitz adds.

As the threat of COVID-19 lingered, Friendship Circle started to look ahead. Everyone wondered what their programs and services were going to look like under the cloud of social distancing. Here again, they came up with a solid plan. True, volunteers were not able to hook up with friends or go to events together but thanks to the organization’s resourcefulness they were able to create stimulating programs that could be attended virtually, from art to music to virtual field trips.

One of the Friendship Circle’s greatest abilities is knowing where they are needed and where they can do the best. Many caregivers often feel alone and helpless caring for a child with special needs. As advocates for individuals with developmental challenges, this set the gears in motion for “The LifeLine Project”, a new program of Friendship Circle that will offer support and programs for caregivers and parents of a child who has special needs.

“Everybody knows somebody with a child or relative on the spectrum or other special challenges. This touched home for so many people. Obviously, there’s a tremendous need in the community,” Berkowitz says.

Another signature event that generated critical funds and awareness for Friendship Circle in 2020 was the annual Heart & Soul Gala. Again, commitment and determination were the key.

“Our gala committee and executive committee were stressing over whether or not our annual fundraiser had to be virtual or not. We had six different versions and had to plan ahead for what might happen. As time went on, it looked less likely that it would be an in-person event,” Berkowitz recalls.

The Heart & Soul Gala took place virtually in December with more than 400 people tuned in from across the globe for an inspirational affair headlined by a wine tasting. Many attendees also hosted guests in their own homes who were treated to a catered gourmet dinner afterward provided by the organization.

“Michele Kaplan and Stacy Bolduc were the creative forces behind the success of this gala,” Berkowitz says.

The event raised $131,000 which will fund multiple endeavors for Friendship Circle including the non-profit’s future state-of-the-art campus, scheduled to break ground in Summer 2021.

“Everyone is laser-focused on the new campus,” says Eckert. “Its impact will be a game-changer on all levels. What started out as a dream on paper is actually coming to fruition. We can all see it.”

One of the people helping to make the new campus a reality is Mindy Levinson, a renowned interior designer from Levinson Interiors in Boynton Beach. Levinson has a successful track record creating facilities of this kind and was brought in to work hand in hand with the architect and design team to ensure that no detail is overlooked.

“I want to help design and create something that is long-lasting and has an impact on people’s lives,” Levinson says. “Once the new Friendship Circle campus opens to the community, its impact will know no bounds.”

According to Levinson, the new campus will be welcoming, spacious and is designed to help all who use it thrive. This includes a cooking studio, multi-purpose room, a life skills room and even a respite lounge for parents and caregivers.

“We want to be able to serve not only children and young adults but adults and their families. I think we have tremendous momentum right now. The team has worked as hard as they could,” Berkowitz says.

According to Eckert, the organization plans to break ground for the new campus in Summer 2021. “We are almost at our goal but are still shy of the initial funds needed to break ground and begin construction,” Eckert says.

To learn more about the new Friendship Circle Campus, visit FriendshipCircleMiami.org/building or contact Russell Eckert at 786-734-0306.

Friendship Circle Miami is a beloved nonprofit organization that benefits children and adults with special needs. The organization serves more than 300 families at their Kendall campus and has been helping forge remarkable friendships for the past 15 years. What starts out to be a friendship, where a teen volunteer spends quality time with a young person with autism, Down syndrome or cerebral palsy, becomes a deeply rooted friendship that lasts a lifetime. 

www.FriendshipCircleMiami.org


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